About the Biosample Repository

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Fox Chase Cancer Center has developed a Biosample Repository Facility (BRF) dedicated to the collection and distribution of human biosamples (i.e., blood, urine and tumor tissue) for scientific research. In addition, the BRF supports the collection of personal and family cancer history data.

The BRF is overseen by the Director, Dr. Denise Connolly and an interdivisional Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), with day-to-day staff supervision provided by the Facility Manager.

How is this done?

The White and Red cells are separated from the plasma

Individuals attending a clinic at Fox Chase as well as relatives, employees and friends of FCCC are invited to sign an informed consent and contribute a blood sample, complete family history, risk factor and demographic questionnaires.

Donated blood samples are separated into the following components: whole blood, plasma, serum, lymphocytes and red blood cells. Lymphocytes are isolated and frozen in liquid nitrogen for future transformation or nucleic acid preparation. DNA is isolated from a small portion of donated blood.

Participants having surgery at FCCC may consent to donate tissue. Donated tissue is reviewed by the Department of Pathology prior to release to the BRF. Only excess tissue that is not needed for patient care is collected and stored by the BRF. Tissues are fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin and/or snap frozen and stored for later use. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens may be further utilized to create tissue microarrays (TMAs) in the BRF.

Access Samples

As specimens are collected and processed, they are also entered into an electronic database. This database is used to track sample type, quantity, storage location and distribution. The facility also supports special requests for the processing of human biosamples as part of grants awarded to individual FCCC investigators.For more information about the Biosample Repository Facility at Fox Chase Cancer Center, call (toll free) 1-888-831-6466 and ask for a recruitment coordinator.

Disclaimer: Temple University Health System (TUHS) neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System and by Temple University School of Medicine.